


Ma-Ma-Marinette

by cccelestite



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: Awkwardness, F/F, F/M, Luka is The Cool Big Bro, Multi, Pining
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-31
Updated: 2018-11-24
Packaged: 2019-04-16 08:37:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 13,543
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14160951
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/cccelestite/pseuds/cccelestite
Summary: In which Juleka's cool brother has known of Marinette since the Reflekta episode and can't wait to meet her.





	1. Who's that girl?

**Author's Note:**

> Like a good portion of the fandom, I watched Captain Hardrock and fell in love with Luka. 
> 
> Also, did you see the photos from Reflekta on the wall! Luka had to have seen these at one point and asked about it, especially considering how adamant Juleka had been about being "cursed."

Luka wasn’t sure how he didn’t notice the photos earlier. They had been tacked there for awhile, probably, and were so out of the ordinary for Juleka that they should’ve stood out more. It wasn't until he poked his head in her cabin one day that he happened to see them.

“Hey, Jules? Have you seen my nail polish?” he asked, pausing to examine his pinky with a frown, “I have to redo this one.”

His little sister looked up from her phone, peering at him through her purple fringe for a moment. That dye job was his handiwork and it only got better every time they had to refresh the color. It filled him with a sense of pride when he saw his sister pause and smile in the mirror before school, sometimes.

“I think it’s at my desk.” Juleka stated in her low monotone, “Lemme check.”

She pulled her earbuds out and moved over to the desk to look. While she rummaged around for the polish, Luka stepped into the cabin and hovered over the desk, lazily looking around his sister’s cabin. His eyes landed on the photos, but he didn’t register them right away. Juleka loathed taking photos, which was a bummer because he had one of the coolest little sisters around in his opinion. 

Luka squinted at the photos, trying to remember why she hated them. Something about being cursed, right? Like they never turned out well…

Then it hit him. In both these photos, Juleka’s face was uncovered and even smiling! Luka leaned in closer than necessary, til his face was only inches away from the photos. There were a few of her whole class with Juleka smiling sheepishly in the center. It looked like they had taken it at the park. Of course, he recognized her best friend Rose sitting next to her. Of the class photos, there were two -- one semi-serious, one silly. He liked the silly one best because Juleka’s smile had only widened in that picture.

There was a third photo with Juleka smiling wider than ever, with Rose on one side of her. He smiled. They were a great pair, Rose and Juleka, and he’d often tease them that he was writing their wedding ballads already (which he was, but they didn’t know that) 

In the photo, Juleka had her hands up by her head in some silly gesture while Rose was pulling the skin under her eyes down.

With them, there was a dark-haired girl he recognized from the class photo. Her hair was tied up in pigtails and her big, blue eyes were dancing. She looked like she’d been caught off-guard, paused in the middle of wiping her cheek with her knuckles when the shot was taken. Still, her smile was nothing short of radiant.

Luka grinned, tapping the photo, “Hey, I thought you hated taking pictures?”

She turned around, nail polish in hand, and followed his attention to the photos. A small smile crept on her face as she looked at them. 

“I thought I was cursed,” Juleka said, “but Marinette doesn’t give up. She made it so I could be in our class photos after all.” 

Luka scanned the class photo for a moment, “So which one is Marinette?”

Juleka tapped the dark-haired girl in the third photo, confirming what Luka had already figured. His gaze lingered on Marinette.

“Introduce us sometime,” he said before accepting the nail polish and walking away with a smile.


	2. Is that you, Fate? (No, it's Rose)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, Luka, nothing gets by Rose -- especially when it comes to romance!

After that, Luka would pause at the door every time he went out and smile back at Marinette. It became part of his routine to stop and smile at the photo whenever he passed by Juleka’s cabin. 

The awkward smile of the dark-haired girl made the corners of his lips tug upward as easily as playing a Jagged Stone cover. There was just something about her that drew him in. Perhaps the softness of her gaze or the knowledge that she was kind enough to help his sister see she wasn’t really cursed. 

Luka found himself dropping by his sister’s room more often, prodding her with seemingly innocuous questions about how school was or what she’d been up to with her friends in hopes he’d hear a little more about the dark-haired girl. He couldn’t help but want to know about her, like what song would make those bluebell eyes ance? What were her hobbies, her passions?

It didn’t go entirely unnoticed by Juleka that her brother visibly brightened when Marinette was mentioned and she didn’t know what to make of his daily ritual of looking at the photo from her doorway.

Rose noticed it later, when she boarded the Couffaine’s ship one afternoon for a sleepover. It had been awhile since they’d had one and in the morning, they planned to meet up with the rest of the girls for a pool day. She let her overnight bag slide off her shoulder once she entered Juleka’s cabin and collapsed onto the bed dramatically, grabbing fistfuls of the familiar comforter as she made herself comfortable.

Juleka had just settled cross-legged beside her when they heard Luka open his door. He came whistling down the hall, his guitar strapped to his back, and paused long enough at the door to smile serenely at the photo, unaware of the two girls staring blankly at him.

“Uh, Luka?” Juleka quirked a brow at her brother as he lingered in the doorway.

He started slightly at the sound of Juleka’s voice, clearly surprised to see her there, “O-oh! Hey, Jules… and Rose! Aren’t you two supposed to be in school?”

“We had a half-day,” Rose stated, sitting up to face Luka. She had a normal smile on her face but the glint in her big blue eyes as she appraised Luka made Juleka shiver.

To everyone who knew Rose, she was a sweet, romantic girl without a mean bone in her body and who should be protected at all costs -- and this was true, for the most part. But Juleka knew how Rose could be when she smelled a crush and that was the look she had when she tilted her head at Luka, batting her eyelashes demurely. The effect was closer to a lioness appraising an antelope in the grass.

“So, what were you smiling at just now?” Rose asked, a finger to her cheek in a seemingly innocent gesture.

If either of the Couffaine siblings had been drinking water at that moment, they would’ve done a simultaneous spit take at Rose’s bluntness. The way she slid her gaze over to the photos made it obvious she already knew the answer.

“Oh, no one -- I mean,” he paused, taking a quick breath before correcting himself cooly, “Nothing, at all.”

Luka looked his normal, calm self but the pink tint to his cheeks gave him away. This was easily the most flustered Juleka had seen her older brother. The girls glanced at each other, brows raised.

“Well anyway, I gotta get going,” Luka said, tugging on his guitar strap as an explanation, “You girls have fun. Nice seeing you, Rose!”

Before Rose could counter, Luka ducked back into the hallway and all but ran to the upper deck. Rose immediately turned to Juleka and grabbed her by the arms, shaking the quieter girl with a mad smile splitting her face.

“Juleka! Do you know what this means?” she shrieked. To her stammering friend, she continued, “Luka likes Marinette!”

Rose sighed dreamily, releasing Juleka to clasp her hands together and tucking them under her chin in a very maiden-like gesture, “He must’ve fallen in love from the photo! Oh, it’s just so romantic!”

She considered the shorter girl for a moment, “But he hasn’t even met Marinette.”

“True,” Rose’s hands fell back into her lap as she considered this, the smile returning suddenly as a lightbulb went off in her pretty little head, “But! We’re already inviting Marinette to our show for the music festival, so they’ll meet there! It’s like fate is bringing them together!”

“But isn’t that us, not fate?” Juleka frowned.

Rose slid her arm around Juleka’s shoulders, smiling, “Same thing! Now let's plan this out...”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I definitely didn't expect to write a second chapter for this but the positive responses have been very encouraging! Thank you!


	3. Cool as a Cucumber

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Are cucumbers really cool? Luka isn't so sure anymore.

The next day, Luka was strumming his guitar absently on the porch of his best friend’s place. He’s stayed the night at Eli’s after they jammed ‘til dawn and was only just waking up from their jam coma when the sun was high in the sky. Eli sat next to him scrolling through Twitter while clutching a mug of black coffee in his other hand, grimacing every time he sipped from it. 

Despite being the older of the two, Eli’s baby face made them seem about the same age. He had a few years on Luka and was already suffering through his second year of college, but Luka appreciated how Eli found the time to play music with him between work and school.

“I don’t know why I drink this crap,” he huffed, setting the mug down at his feet.

“I don’t know why you drink that crap either.”

Eli rolled his eyes, “I’d rather have it like this than have any of your tea.”

Luka just laughed, answering with a riff that he’d been working on the night before. Eli hummed along, bobbing his head so the halo of dark curls on top bounced with him. They continued like that for a few minutes, Eli adding words occasionally under his breath that Luka could hardly catch.

“Woah, check this out,” Eli chuckled, turning his phone toward Luka to show his Twitter feed, “Adrien Agreste just can’t catch a break today.”

“Who?” Luka asked without sparing Eli a glance.

“Uh, only one of Paris’ top models right now and heir to the Agreste throne?” Eli frowned, setting his phone down since Luka couldn’t care less. “I swear, you’re only a teen in body. You’d have seen his face if you had Twitter or like, anything really.”

Luka shrugged, “I don’t see the point in all that.”

“Yeah, yeah, we get it -- You’re just too cool,” Eli said, “but c’mon, you’ve had to have seen his face all over the place. Doesn’t your little sister have posters of him or something?”

Luka thought for a moment if he’d seen anything like that in Juleka’s room but he was just reminded of the photos and of Marinette again. A small smile graced his lips but Luka ducked his head to protect that smile from his ever curious friend. If Eli found out he couldn’t get this girl out of his head for the past few weeks now, he’d never let Luka live it down. Even worse, he’d try to track Marinette down and set them up. That wasn’t something he was up for anytime soon… or at least, he wanted to on his own terms.

“Not Juleka.” Luka answered.

“How could I forget how weird the Couffaines are?” Eli laughed, already back in his phone.

Luka set his guitar down and leaned to look over Eli’s shoulder when a glimpse of dark pigtails made his heart jump out his chest. Before he knew what he was doing, Luka’s arm shot out to grab the phone but Eli pulled it just out of reach, “Dude, what the hell!”

“Let me see that!”

Eli reluctantly surrendered the phone and watched as Luka scrolled back down to find the photo. When he did, it was definitely Marinette -- he knew those pigtails well by now, only she was crouching in a fountain. It looked like she was in the middle of a park, one he might even recognize, and wearing her pajamas. Luka couldn’t help but chuckle a little. What a funny a girl, this Marinette.

Then he spotted a blonde boy huddled behind her. He was conventionally attractive, in that clean-cut way that teachers liked. Luka frowned at the caption: “ADRIEN AND HIS GIRLFRIEND IN A FOUNTAIN!”

Luka felt his mood dampen a bit. He pointed at the photo, “Who is this?”

“Like I was saying earlier, Adrien Agreste!” Eli said, exasperated as he took his phone back and cradled it against his chest, “You really don’t listen to a word I say, Luka, and you know, as your friend, it’s really irritating --”

After that, Luka pretty much fell out of the conversation. Eli had a tendency to ramble so when he got going, he kept on and on about it. It would be almost twenty minutes before they finally got off the topic and decided to put their energy toward figuring out lunch for the day.

Later, when Eli had gone to work and Luka was walking home, he spotted Juleka doing the same. He snuck up behind her, carefully to keep in the blind spot her bangs afforded him, and grabbed her by the shoulders with a loud “Hey!”

She jumped a foot off the ground and recoiled like a cat, settling down only when she realized it was him. Juleka frowned at him, “Luka! What are you doing here?”

“Just coming back from Eli’s,” Luka answered. He eyed the duffel tucked under her arm, “Where were you today?”

“The pool with my friends.”

Now that she mentioned it, he could detect the faint smell of chlorine clinging to her hair and maybe even remember Juleka asking their mom the other day. Luka honed in on the implication of “friends” -- plural, so it wasn’t just Rose, and maybe among them…

“Oh? Who all went?” Luka asked, cool as a cucumber.

The side-eye Juleka gave him made him reconsider how cool a cucumber really was. She chuckled a bit then counted off on her fingers as she listed off their names, “Oh, just the girls. You know, Rose, Alix, Mylene, Alya… Marinette came, too.”

Privately, Luka noted that an "Adrien" wasn't in the list and took that as a small win.

Luka flushed for two reasons. One, because the image of Marinette in a pretty pink swimsuit came to mind, and two, the look Juleka gave him. To the average person, his sister came off as deadpan, but those close to her knew that she was more honest than she looked. It was like interpreting a cat’s mood, looking for the subtle signs of displeasure or joy. If anything, Juleka’s expression right now reminded him of that meme with all the knives pointing at a smirking cat. It looked suspiciously like an expression he’d seen on Rose the day before.

 

‘They really are a good match,’ he thought, grimacing, ‘Too good, maybe.’

He thought he was saved when their houseboat came into view and their mother could be seen waving happily at them from the top deck. Luka sped up, thinking he could dodge the hello kiss from mom and duck into the safety of his cabin.

“Speaking of Marinette,” Juleka began again, playing, “Rose and I thought it’d be fun if we invited her to the gig. Marinette says she’s never been on a boat before.”

It was at that moment Luka short-circuited. He stopped dead in his tracks, bringing a hand to his face to cover his gaping mouth because his jaw had literally dropped. The heat filling his cheeks spread to his ears and neck, tinting the areas an embarrassing rosy pink.

Marinette. Marinette was going to be on their… on their houseboat, like for real. Watching him play guitar with his sister and her friends. He’d actually speak to her and find out what her voice sounded like so when he imagined her wishing him a good day, his morning daydreams would be all the more accurate.

“I-Is that so?” Luka managed, finally getting his voice to work again, “That’s uh, that’s cool.”

“I’ll introduce you,” Juleka offered, then continued with an evil smirk, “If you want.”

With that, Juleka trotted off to greet their mom with a hug and kiss. There was a pep in her step that Luka felt vaguely offended by, like her good mood had come at the cost of his dignity. He accepted the hug and kiss as well, shooting a glare over their mom’s shoulder at Juleka who just looked away innocently.

Later that night, Luka laid awake in bed. He could hardly sleep and probably wouldn’t for the next week or so until the music festival. Luka knew it would go well and he wouldn’t be as much of a mess when faced with the person herself (hopefully), but his nerves wouldn’t listen to reason. 

He fell asleep, eventually, when the butterflies in his stomach hada finally settled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hope you don't mind the OC!
> 
> Also I was GOING to jump right into the music fest but before that, I wanted to do a little bit about what if Luka saw the pics online from the "Gorizilla" ep.
> 
> I also HC Luka as one of those people who don't really care about Facebook and stuff


	4. Couffaines Support Each Other

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> An important scene between the Couffaines

It was the day of the music festival and Luka was freaking out -- internally, of course, as he kept up a calm, collected facade in front of his family to the best of his abilities. If Juleka was the sibling with the blank face, Luka was the one who could convince other people that he was totally chill and comfortable in any situation. Including... Marinette, the girl in the photo, boarding his family’s houseboat today. In the flesh! Soon, he’d have a voice and a laugh to the photo.

Then came the booming voice of his mother to shatter his calm, “Looks like the kids will be here any minute now!” 

Anarka Couffaine was dressed in her festival best, which was apparently what she called her “pirate coat” -- a long dark coat with gold-patterned trim at the ends and embroidering along the cuffs. Her wrists were layered in the usual mess of bracelets and bangles that clinked when she raised her arms, a scope in one hand and a tangled cord in the other. The cord she would never bother untangling on account of her “messy is better” philosophy. She peered through the scope at the shore, apparently searching for the first signs of Juleka’s friends. 

Luka decided now was the best time to flee to the lower decks. He slinked out of her sight line and attempted to reach the door without alerting her, but through what could only be called “maternal instincts,” Anarka turned in time to catch her son by the arm.

“Where ya going, Luka? Juleka’s friends are about to be here”

Luka smiled at her, “I wanted to get some meditation in before the gig. I’ll be back later.”

It wasn’t completely a lie -- he could really use some meditation to calm his heart, which had been jump-started by the knowledge that it was almost time for Marinette to arrive and was stuttering in his chest.

With that, Luka disappeared below deck before Anarka could see right through him. He passed Juleka on the way and had he not been so flustered he might’ve seen the hints of a smug grin she was suppressing. She stopped to watch Luka shut the door to his cabin a little too hard, causing the frames on a nearby wall to shudder, and shook her head. It was rare to see him like this and everything was as Rose thought: he had a huge crush, for the first time in awhile, and he had no idea how to contain it.

Juleka frowned for a moment, eyeing his door warily. She couldn’t help but worry about him. Not long ago, it was Luka who helped her realize her feelings for Rose had exceeded friendship. He’d been there for all her freakouts, all of which he managed to soothe with songs that spoke to the discord in her heart at the time.

It was thanks to Luka that she had found the courage to confess and now she was dating the most amazing girl in Paris.

Now that Luka was showing interest in someone for the first time in forever, it was Juleka’s turn to support him. Thus the plan was hatched to invite all their friends for a gig, Marinette included, so they could meet in what Rose called a “natural setting” and let the chemistry decide. It was a simple plan with little to no meddling on their part -- completely different from any match-making plan they’d been involved in to get Marinette and Adrien together. 

And then there was that problem. 

Permission to invite everyone was easily given by Anarka with a cheery “The more the merrier!” and getting the band together hadn’t been a problem, as they’d been planning this gig for a few weeks.

When it came time to make a group text, they were relaxing in Juleka’s cabin on the bed. Juleka was sitting up against the wall with Rose tucked under her arm so she could watch her type the message. She smiled at the look of concentration on Rose’s face as she peppered emojis throughout until it was mostly flowers and hearts and unicorns rather than words.

“There!” she’d said once she was satisfied with the amount of emojis.

Rose presented the phone to Juleka proudly, practically beaming when Juleka noddedher approval, “It’s perfect.”

“Great! Now, we’ll send this Mylene, Alya, Marinette, of course,” Rose paused to giggle, the sound shooting right to Juleka’s heart, “Oh! We’ll invite Nino and Adrien, too...”

They shared a long look and Juleka understood what gave her pause. Adrien was their friend, of course they were going to invite him. There wouldn’t be a problem if Marinette wasn’t guaranteed to be fixated on him the moment he stepped onboard. Rose hesitated over Adrien’s contact in her phone, thumb hovering over the plus sign to add him to the group text. 

Eventually, the girls decided it was safe to invite Adrien. They had heard from Alya that he’d been forced to flake on pretty much anything fun because of his dad and work. There was a chance he might not show up for this, too.

If Adrien happened to come, that left Juleka in a tough spot. She wanted to help Luka any way she could but ultimately, Marinette’s love life was her own and Juleka was resolved to support her no matter what. That was the kind of place Marinette had in her heart, though she probably didn’t know just how highly Juleka thought of her.

Still, Luka was her brother and the idea of him watching his crush moon over her crush made Juleka ache.

When Rose was smitten with Prince Ali, it had been Luka’s shoulder she cried on and his hands rubbing gentle circles into her back until her cries had turned to hiccups. She didn’t expect Luka’s feelings to be that deep for Marinette at this stage but if there was anything she could do to repay his support, Juleka wanted to be there.

That brought her to Luka’s door. She didn’t know what to say but Juleka gathered up her resolve and knocked anyway.

A sigh, then “Who is it?”

“Uh-”

“Oh, Juleka. Come in!”

Juleka opened the door cautiously, finding Luka seated cross-legged on his bed. He cracked one eye open and smiled at her, “What’s up, Jules?”

“Just wanted to check on you. Meditating?”

“Trying.” Luka sighed, “I’m not having much luck though. I just can’t seem to calm down.”

Deciding to go the Rose route of bluntness, Juleka asked “Is it because Marinette is coming?”

That earned a strangled sound from her brother. His cheeks tinged pink and he looked at her with an exasperated look before sighing, “Yes.”

Juleka hesitated by the door for a moment before seating herself beside him. She reached out cautiously and touched his knee with the barest brush of her knuckles, a small sign of sibling solidarity, “There’s nothing to worry about. Marinette is the nicest person I know and she’ll love to meet you.”

“I don’t know, Jules. I’ve been so… weird, lately,” Luka said, hanging his head, “What if I do something and she thinks I’m weird?”

An image of Marinette tripping over air and flailing her arms out hysterically on the way to the ground popped into Juleka’s head, along with the many weird expressions and stutterings she’d witnessed in class from her. She couldn’t help but laugh, causing Luka to snap up and scowl at her.

“I-I’m not laughing at you! I swear!” Juleka explained through tears, “It’s just, just Marinette! She won’t care if you’re weird, Luka. Just be yourself, okay?”

Luka nodded, “Thanks, Jules… I feel a lot better, actually.”

Juleka scrutinized him for a moment. His face was still pinkish in the cheeks but mostly back to the easy smile and lidded eyes she knew.

“Good! I’ll leave you to your meditation then,” Juleka said, heading toward the door, “See you up there?”

“Yeah, see you up there.” Luka replied.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The music festival was originally gonna be ch.2 of this but all these preliminary scenes keep popping into my head! 
> 
> Doing my best to have them meet next time. Thanks for your patience and kind words! 
> 
> Honestly reading your comments makes me so happy! So thank you!


	5. A Funny Girl

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And the two finally meet.

Meanwhile on the top deck, Anarka stood with a perplexed frown, one brow raised at the spot her son had been prior to his frenzied flight. It wasn’t unusual for Luka to isolate himself right before a gig to meditate but he would usually help setup first or offer to carry something for her. Her maternal instincts sent warning flares that the boy was hiding something, only overridden by her “cool mom” mentality of letting him sort himself out. The boy had gone this long staying out of trouble without her interference.

Still, her curiosity burned. What could get under Luka’s skin, after all? She’d have to ask Juleka.

“Hi, Anarka!” she chirped, a lot closer than Anarka had thought.

“Oh! Didn’t see you there, Rose!”

Almost as soon as he’d gone, Rose had slid up to Anarka’s side with a devilish grin on her face that may have seemed sweet to the average person. She’d only stopped calling her ‘Ms. Couffaine’ earlier this year despite Anarka’s insistence that she call her by name. Finally, when given the choice between calling her Anarka or ‘Mom,’ Rose had relented.

Honestly, there was no room for formalities aboard her ship! Not to mention Anarka and Luka had been planning the wedding long before Juleka actually had the courage to confess/

“Where’s Luka gone?” Rose asked.

Anarka glanced at the girl. Her big blue eyes should’ve looked harmless but Anarka could see the mischief playing there. Honestly, Rose was a lot like her when she was young. She’d never been as soft-spoken as Rose but there was certainly a pirate-like quality to the girl that Anarka highly approved of.

“Somethin’ tells me you might know more about that than I do.”

Rose smiled up at her and Anarka had to admit, she was almost angelic with the sun reflecting on her blond hair in a halo. Of course her daughter had fallen hard, “Maybe you’ll help us then?”

**  
**

✽✽✽

**  
**

As it turns out, Anarka was totally onboard for setting his son up with a girl she’d never personally met. Rose filled her in on their little plan to have the two meet and for Marinette to see Luka’s good side by inviting her to the gig, where he’d be able to showcase his musical talent. By the time Juleka returned to the top deck, Rose and Anarka were comparing notes on Luka’s behavior as of late.

“Uh, what’s going on?” Juleka asked.

Rose jumped up to hug her girlfriend, swinging her around joyfully, “It’s wonderful! Your mom is going to help us!”

Juleka paused and considered sharing the conversation she’d had with Luka, then decided that was best kept between them. She wanted everything to go as naturally as possible between them, “That’s great. Actually, I see them coming now.”

They separated to wave at their friends approaching the boat, both noting the lack of a certain blonde model among them. There wasn’t much opportunity to follow their original plan, both girls getting caught in the flow of setting up for the gig and hanging out with friends. Anarka, however, observed from the sidelines as the girl -- Marinette, she remembered -- eagerly awaited her crush.

Rose had informed her that one of the possible wrenches in the plan was if Marinette’s crush, Adrien, showed up. She had noted during Juleka’s introduction of her classmates that an Adrien had not been included.

She seemed like a nice girl, if a bit straight-laced. Of all things, she’d been cleaning the top deck! Cleaning was unheard of on Anarka’s ship.

So while Juleka and Rose hadn’t noticed Marinette wander to the bridge with Alya and Nino, Anarka had and followed at an inconspicuous distance as if she were already heading in that direction anyway. She watched from the outside as Nino took a phone call and the mood dropped for all three, especially Marinette. He slipped out with a sympathetic look and an understanding nod to Alya, leaving her to comfort Marinette.

Anarka passed him by on his way out and lingered out the doorway, catching the tail-end of their conversation.

“Well, it’s not exactly the first time his dad’s kept him from hanging out with us. Actually, I’d have been super surprised if he hadn’t.” Alya said as she removed the statue from Marinette’s hands and placed it directly on top of the compass.

“Woah sailor!” Anarka burst in without meaning to, snatching the metal statue up, “Never place a metal object next to a compass, ya hear, lass!”

The girls stared at her with wide eyes, obviously thinking they were in trouble. Anarka mentally cursed herself, as she had intended to remain hidden but her instincts as a captain forced her to step forward. She demonstrated what she meant, showing them how the needle on the compass went crazy when the statue was close.

“Metal attracts the needle just like a magnet, which is why you can’t get anywhere near each other!” she explained, handing the statue back to Marinette.

Marinette deflated again, holding the statue gently, “I know how they feel,” Marinette sighed, turning around to place the statue back on the window sill, “Maybe I’m just like this statue and Adrien is my compass. Maybe we’re meant to stay away from each other forever.”

Anarka frowned, feeling a pang of sympathy for the girl.

“I think it’s the other way around. He’s the statue and you’re the compass that goes crazy whenever he gets close!” Alya chimed in, using the statue as a prop for her pep talk before setting it down again and slinging her arm over Marinette’s shoulders, “There’ll be other chances, Marinette.”

The encouraging words rang hollow for Marinette, who only shook her head, “That’s what you said the last time and the time before that,” she mumbled, eyes downcast.

Just then, Rose popped in at the base of the stairs, Juleka close behind, “We’re ready, Captain!” she shouted up with a salute, “Uh… but Luka’s missing!”

Then Anarka had a bright idea. “Marinette, right?”

Marinette stood at attention, “Yes, ma’am… Uh, Captain!”

“Since you’re free from your cleaning duties, could you go and tell Luka that we’re waiting for him to start our rehearsal?” Anarka asked with a peculiar glint in her eye.

"Of course,” Marinette said without hesitation, eager to help, “Uh, but who’s Luka? And where is he?”

“Luka’s my son! You’ll find him in his cabin,” Anarka replied, nodding at the stairs to indicate the lower decks. She sent a sly smile to Rose and Juleka, who waited for Marinette to be on her way before returning it with a smile of her own.

Below deck, Luka knew he should be heading up soon. He’d been finished meditating for awhile now but couldn’t bring himself to move from his spot on the bed, examining his nails for any new chips or polish outside the nail. They’d been chipped all week but Luka had made sure to repaint them last night so they’d be perfect today. Now he wondered if he should’ve left his nails bare and clean.

It was probably about the time that Juleka’s friends were all here, Marinette included. His mom was probably wondering why he hadn’t resurfaced after so long.

Footsteps approached his cabin, pulling him out of his thoughts. It must be Anarka coming to fetch her errant son. Luka hurriedly assumed the meditation pose, ignoring the numbness in his legs from holding it for so long, and waited with his eyes closed. He listened as the steps paused in front of his bed.

“Uh!”

A startled yelp, then a soft sigh. Luka took a few deep breaths before opening eyes his slowly.

What he saw was Marinette standing at the foot of his bed and a small smile graced his face at the sight of her, in her signature blazer that he knew so well from the picture. There was a lot more pink in her outfit than he’d realized but the soft color suited her and brought out the bright blue of her eyes. Internally, Luka was so startled to see the real girl that he almost jumped back and would’ve probably hit his head on the wall with an embarrassing amount of force -- a decidedly uncool first impression. He remained locked in position thanks to shock and his dead legs.

They watched each other for a moment and Luka felt himself warming up under those big doe eyes. Something clicked for Marinette as she began to move again, her arms flailing about her in flustered gestures.

“Hey! My name’s Mama, uh, Mama-Marinette!” she said, looking embarrassed over her stumble. Before Luka could say anything back, Marinette recovered quickly and continued with gusto, “Your mom sent me down here. The groove… uh…”

Marinette caught her lower lip in her teeth briefly and Luka zeroed in on that lip, almost missing the rest of the sentence.

“...the group’s waiting for you.”

Had she been a turtle, Luka thought she might’ve retreated into her shell at that moment. He smiled, leaning forward slightly.

“Hello, Mamamarinette.”

Luka brought a hand up to his mouth as he chuckled but stopped as soon as he caught the dejected look on her face. Great, he’d fucked it up already. For some reason, Juleka’s advice came to mind: Just be yourself. Luka glanced between his guitar and Marinette, deciding what he’d do.

“Sorry. I tend to make more sense with this.” he said, taking up the guitar.

He patted the bed, inviting her to sit there. Marinette was visibly nervous but he wasn’t sure if that was just anxiety at being in a boy’s room or talking with someone she didn’t know well. Still, she complied and sat beside him. Luka tried to ignore the scent of her vanilla lotion as it wafted to him, hitting him in the face with the sweetest floral aroma. There was a hint of sugar and fresh-baked bread mixed in there. Yes, Juleka had mentioned she was a baker’s daughter once. He pressed on.

“That’s strange. It seems you have something like this in your heart,” he said softly as a song started to form in his head, eyes falling closed as he felt it out.

Ever since he was a kid, Luka had always been good at picking up on other’s emotions and understanding them, even if he couldn’t verbalize that. Eli called it empathy. It’s what helped him understand Juleka even when she wasn’t able to put her feelings into words. He attributed it to his strained relationship with their father, who had been a man of ever-shifting moods. Luka had learned to watch for signals of a change before it happened and this carried over into his other relationships.

It had been a long time since Anarka had thrown the man out on his ass. He wondered if Juleka even remembered their father anymore.

He opened his eyes to see Marinette staring at him, awestruck. Marinette placed a hand over her heart, as if feeling the song beat against her own rib cage, and her eyes fluttered closed with a content sigh. Luka felt buoyed by this, as if all the nerves and bad memories had fallen away. He spent far too long admiring the way her lashes brushed the tops of her cheeks, still dusted with a rosy pink. It was times like these, watching the tension fall from her shoulders, that Luka was thankful for the hours of practice that made playing guitar automatic.

Luka was happy to see those big blue eyes open and refocus on him, paired with the brightest smile that stilled his fingers.

“How do you do that?”

Having her attention on him again made him feel warm all over. He shrunk behind the safety of his guitar, idly readjusting it in his lap, “Music is often simpler than words.”

He felt a lot more relaxed when holding the guitar. It saved him a lot of awkwardness in trying to figure out what he was supposed to do with his hands or focusing on the cute girl he was currently alone with. Nope, not focusing on that. At all.

Marinette hummed thoughtfully and wandered toward his guitar pick display, admiring the Jagged Stone poster above it. She picked a Jagged Stone pick out of the display, rubbing it between her pretty little fingers.

“You like Jagged Stone’s music?”

Luka slung his guitar over his back as he got off the bed, moving to stand beside her. She was certainly a petite girl and he found that their height difference pleased him.

“He’s my favorite singer!” Luka said.

“Mine too.” she said, glancing at him briefly as she started fidgeting with the pick too vigorously. It slipped from her fingers and she fumbled to catch it before it could fall, shooting him a sheepish grin.

“You can have it if you like. I’ve got plenty.”

“Oh! Thanks.”

Luka would’ve given her the whole display if it meant having that smile beaming up at him. To be honest, he probably only had one other Jagged Stone pick in his collection but Marinette didn’t need to know that. He caught sight of her lips, pretty and pink, and

“I think I’d better go join the…” Luka rolled his eyes, “groove, you said?”

Marinette looked horrified, throwing her hands up over her head as if to shield her from his gaze, “Did I really say that?! Oh, no.”

Seeing her have such a big reaction to a little teasing, Luka felt the urge to tease Marinette more. He couldn’t risk hurting her feelings again though so he restrained himself, even if she was being ridiculously cute. Maybe if they hung out more, she’d know it was from a place of endearment rather than poking fun.

“You’re a funny girl, Marinette.”

Luka left Marinette standing in his cabin, stunned. Marinette opened her fist to admire the pick again. On it, Jagged Stone was wearing what appeared to her a very knowing grin for a piece of plastic. It was warm from her holding it so tightly. She tucked it carefully into a pocket of her blazer before hurrying to the top deck to join everyone, her mood considerably better than before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Oh my god, how did this take me so long?! Haha answer is life. Anyway, hope you liked!


	6. Captain Hardrock Appears!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> And finally, Captain Hardrock appears! How will Marinette get outta this one?!

When she returned from fetching Luka, Marinette was considerably more relaxed. Of course, Alya took notice of the mood change and a noticeable delay between Luka joining them on the top deck and Marinette finding the seat Alya saved for her. 

Alya’s theory was something good happened between them that left Marinette having to collect herself before reappearing, probably with a lot of fanning to the face and deep breaths. Maybe even an out loud pep talk or two. The tint to her cheeks was proof enough of that, though Alya couldn’t let this go without getting all the deets. Call it reporter’s instinct, or call it best friend’s privilege. Still, this wasn’t the time or place to grill her best friend -- they were surrounded by their friends and the boy himself, setting up for sound check. 

Alya looked Luka up and down, noting that he and Adrien were like night and day -- literally. Whereas Adrien was the picture of a sunshine boy, golden hair and bright green eyes, Luka was what Alya had pictured a “bad boy” to look like. She didn’t expect him to be all that bad, of course, considering his sister was one of the sweetest girls Alya had ever met. Plus, Marinette would never go for a bad guy -- but a bad boy aesthetic? Maybe.

For starters, his hair was two-toned, the dark locks dipped in teal dye. The colorful fringe reminded Alya of Juleka’s and stirred up a distant memory of one day at school, when Alya asked who did her hair. She had given a small smile, a glint of pride in her eyes when she said it was her brother. If she squinted, Alya was sure she saw a thin dark smudge lining his eyes. His clothes were notably distressed, particularly in the hem of his shirt and the ripped knees of his black jeans. You’d never catch Adrien Agreste in torn up clothes. The design sitting squarely on his chest was one of Jagged Stone’s, and boy, did Marinette love Jagged Stone. 

She wondered if Marinette had told him about the album cover she designed or that she had met Jagged Stone. If not, Alya was definitely going to throw that out there whether Marinette wanted her to or not.

He was definitely cool, she’ll give him that. Sure, she was team #Adrienette but that ship hadn’t quite sailed and hey, #Lukanette also had a nice ring to it.

She rubbed her chin thoughtfully as she side-eyed Marinette, whose rapt attention was on the stage before her -- or more accurately, Luka on that stage, “You okay, girl?” 

Marinette glanced at her dreamily, nodding and giving a quick “Mmm-hmm” before returning her attention to the stage. Luka glanced up at her and smiled, strumming his guitar. The adoring look on her face was recognizable as a tamer version of the way she looked at Adrien. A big difference, Alya noted, was Marinette could actually look this guy in the eye without completely combusting.

‘Ah, I see what’s going on here,’ Alya thought.

Alya grinned at Marinette, looking between her and Luka, “I'm thinking "Marinette the Compass" has found herself a new statue.”

It seemed her eyes couldn’t get any wider than they were now, a blush already darkening her cheeks. Marinette glanced back at Luka again. His eyes were closed as he listened intently to the sounds emitting from his instrument, nodding to himself.

“What? Luka? No way! You're being ridiculous! Pff!” Marinette could hear her voice soaring higher in pitch but soldiered on with a dismissive wave of her hand, “Sure he's cool and nice and everything…” she trailed off as Luka opened his eyes, caught in those aqua blue eyes as she rested her hands on her fists. Then, realizing Alya was still watching her expectantly, Marinette sat up straight, “but there's only one statue that drives this compass crazy!”

To emphasize that, she twirled her finger by her ear and rolled her eyes as crazy as she could manage. Marinette could see the cogs in Alya’s head turning, ready to let loose a riptide of teasing. Luckily (whether it was due to her luck or Ladybug’s, she didn’t know), she was interrupted by Anarka’s cry for the show to start.

“Ho, ho, sailors! Let's give them a show! Whenever you’re ready, Luka!”

Mylene appeared at their side, offering two pairs of ear plugs, “You’re gonna need these, believe me!”

The girls both plucked them out of her palm and popped them into their ears, wedging them a bit deeper when Mylene gestured at them to do so. Luka turned the volume way up on his amp and strummed, rocking the whole boat with the vibrations. Marinette visibly shuddered as the waves of sound moved through her.

Not even a moment later, sirens sounded. 

Roger burst out of a squad car in his uniform, shouting at Anarka about how many decibels he was reading with his megaphone blaring. Anarka took up her own intercom, blasting over the boat’s speakers her counterarguments.

Marinette shrunk into the crowd as they went back and forth. The gist of it seemed that there were laws on how loud a performance could be without a permit and of course, Anarka was not the type to have a permit for anything. Her skin always crawled when adults fought and she wanted to settle this peacefully, if possible.

She stepped forward, sheepish without her Ladybug costume, “Uh, maybe we could turn the volume down a bit Captain? Then there'd be no more problem, right?”

Anarka reeled on her in a moment, “No, out of the question. I didn't name my galleon Liberty for nothing, you know! It's a matter of principle!” she shouted before turning her attention back to Roger, throwing a hand up to indicate the large Liberty sign on her boat, “Haven't you ever heard of freedom of speech, Roger? This is me home! I will do as I want!”

The argument continued as Roger listed off a bunch of laws Anarka was apparently breaking, throwing in a few that Marinette felt could be police harassment. Anarka was getting visibly angrier as Roger wrote out excessive tickets, even after she’d torn several of them up.

Anarka fled to the bridge in frustration afterward, leaving the kids on deck to look at each other awkwardly. The mood had been dampened and no one was sure how to recover it.

Outside, Marinette found Luka’s eyes over the heads of her downtrodden friends. She moved to stand by him, “That’s a bummer, huh?”

He shrugged, then managed a small smile, “Eh, what can you do?”

It seemed right as she smiled back, a black and purple smoke engulfed the ship and transformed it into a more pirate-y version of itself. The sail became a large skull while the body of the boat had changed to resemble a large red guitar. Her heart sank as Anarka stepped out in full pirate garb with yellow eyes, the sclera even a greenish-yellow. The exaggerated appearance was a tell-tale sign of an akuma.

“Oh no!” she whispered. It was more a declaration of her own helplessness than the situation.

“Raise the mainsail me deckhands, let's get swashbuckling around here!” Anarka shouted, leaning on the helm and giving a hearty laugh.

Juleka looked horrified, “Mom?”

Marinette’s heart went out to her. She could only imagine how horrible it felt to be akumatized, then seeing one of your loved ones going through the same thing. A familiar determination filled her spirit. She had to set things right as Ladybug and return her friends’ mom to normal!

Luka took a place beside his sister, “What's going on?”

“Your mom has weighed anchor, me lad,” she answered, brandishing her fiery red sword, “I'm Captain Hardrock and today Paris's timbers are about to be shivered by my cannons!” 

Captain Hardrock sheathed her sword, bring her arm up again with a telescope in hand this time. She peered through, apparently acquiring her target. Marinette could feel every part of herself vibrating with the need to do something, anything to stop this. Her eyes darted every which way, trying to figure out if she could jump off this boat in time and find a place to safely transform. Before she could make a run for it, the boat shuddered.

“Westward ho, Liberty next stop, Jagged Stone at the Eiffel Tower.” Captain Hardrock announced, the telescope disappearing and being replaced with the sword briefly as she gestured forward.

The boat departed from dock rapidly, putting too much distance between them and the riverbank for Marinette to offboard. She’d have to find another way.

“Soon, there will only be one concert in Paris only one Music Festival. We will destroy all the others. Now, get to your instruments and rock those decibels!”

No one moved to obey and Marinette saw each face harden into a defiant expression. Her heart swelled with pride at her classmates for standing their ground, having faced their fair share of akumas each and without the protection of a magical suit. Captain Hardrock frowned down at them as Luka stepped forward.

“Mom please, you can't ruin the Music Festival!”

Marinette was standing right beside him before she knew it. If she couldn’t do anything as Ladybug, all she could do was try to reason with the akuma as Marinette and hope Anarka could fight Hawkmoth’s hold, “You can't force people to listen to your music!”

Ivan released the hold he’d had on Mylene, “No way we're playing like this!”

“Mutiny? On my ship?” Captain Hardrock scowled, pointing her telescope at them, “Liberty, seize these scallywags and throw them down into the hold!”

Dozens of chains flew from behind her, seizing around everyone in pairs: Alya with Nino, Mylene with Ivan, Rose with Juleka. Marinette found herself up close and personal with Luka as they had been standing closest to each other. The deck opened up like a mouth suddenly and they all fell to a lower deck. Marinette’s shoulder slammed against the wood roughly, the impact sending shocks of pain up her collarbone. She grit her teeth against it as they righted themselves.

“Is everyone okay?” she asked, her voice carrying the authoritative edge of Ladybug’s.

“A few bruises but otherwise okay!” Alya called. The response was echoed by the others and no one seemed to be majorly injured from what Marinette could tell. Above, they could hear the sounds of cannons firing. The whole cabin shook violently with each round and dust fell from the ceiling.

Marinette glanced down at her purse to find Tikki staring up at her expectantly, giving a small conspiratorial wink. She looked around to see if anyone was looking their way before giving Tikki a furtive nod, indicating the all-clear. The kwami flitted out of the purse in a red blur and phased through the chains, the lock clicking open moments later and the chains falling off limply. Without Captain Hardrock to manipulate them, they were just regular chains.

She jumped when Luka whirled around, his breath tickling the back of her neck when he spoke in an amazed voice, “Wow! How’d you do that?”

“Uhh, I, uhm…” Marinette panicked for a moment before feeling the guitar pick in her pocket. She presented it to him, “With this!”

“You're amazing,” he said reverently. It was the same tone Chat Noir often used to compliment her as Ladybug, as if she was the most amazing thing ever -- only she wasn’t in the suit just now, “A real magician, Marinette.”

Luka stood and presented his hand to her, easily helping her to her feet as she flushed. She subconsciously placed an arm on his bicep and felt modest muscle flexing under the denim. 

“You think so? Oh, it was nothing, uh,” Marinette looked away for a moment to hide her blush, but found herself looking back at him, eager to hear it again, “Amazing? Really?”

Alya coughed loudly, “Excuse me, but some of us are still chained up here you know.”

Marinette jumped away from Luka, tucking her hands behind her back as if she hadn’t been feeling him all over -- which she hadn’t, okay! She felt like she’d been caught doing something more elicit than just letting her hands linger.

Just then, Captain Hardrock’s laughter boomed above and the sound of her boots creaking down the stairs as she approached. There was a moment of indecision where Marinette couldn’t stand to leave her friends but knew that she had to get out of there and fast if she was going to transform. Captain Hardrock reached the stairs, seeing the two of them unchained. That made her decision easier.

“Marinette, she's coming!” Alya yelled.

“We'll come back, I promise,” Marinette said, nodding to her.

They ran to the door of Luka’s cabin, which had remained largely untouched by the boat’s transformation, and locked themselves in. Luka barricaded the door with one of his guitars. It would hold the akuma for long, she knew. She looked to Luka desperately as they both considered the open porthole.

“We should crawl through,” Marinette suggest.

Luka shook his head, “I have a better idea.”

He kneeled by his bed and pulled out the drawer underneath, thankful that it was empty for once instead of having all his clothes stuffed inside. Thank god for laundry day. Luka pulled it out as far as he could. Marinette was petite so she could probably fit, but only her.

“Get inside!” he whispered through gritted teeth so the akuma wouldn’t hear.  
“But what about --”

“Hurry!”

Marinette shut up and crawled inside, lying as still as possible with her arms at her sides as he closed the drawer carefully. The last thing she saw before darkness was Luka giving her a small reassuring smile that made her heart ache. It was a tight fit and her nose was squished against the bottom of the bed. She wondered briefly if this was how Chat Noir felt when he was thrown into a coffin by the Pharaoh awhile back. Moments later, she heard Captain Hardrock kicking the door open and Luka shouting.

“Run, Marinette quick!”

There was a shout of “Seize him!” and then the sound of chains slithering around Luka. A pained grunt from him, then a thud as he fell to the ground and was dragged to the door to join the others.

A heavy pair of boots stomped to the porthole, “She won’t get very far.”

The boots stomped out of the cabin, slamming the door closed behind them. Marinette waited out the silence for a moment before pushing herself out with a big gasp of air. She sat up, her kwami floating up by her head.

“Phew! That was close!” Tikki said.

It was close, Marinette thought, and Luka sacrificed himself to let her escape. He did that for her, not Ladybug. Determination set in as she turned to Tikki.

“Tikki, I have to save my friends.”

Tikki nodded and Marinette said the phrase, “Tikki, spots on!”

The familiar pink light engulfed her, wrapping around her like a blanket as it formed her suit and mask and the weight of her yo-yo settled on her hip. Now, Ladybug stood in Luka’s cabin formulating her plan. She glanced at the door briefly, “I’ll save you guys, I promise,” she whispered before squeezing out the porthole window.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so sorry I've been MIA!! I've been working on my original stories and couldn't find the time to get through this chapter. Also the formatting might be wonky because I'm postinf on mobile.
> 
> Thank you for all the support! It means the world to me!


	7. Inspired

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> While Ladybug fights Captain Hardrock, Luka has some time to think. I mean, what else could you be doing while chained up?

Luka was thrown on his ass roughly, the chains digging into his arms uncomfortably as he struggled. It seemed that whenever he moved, they tightened in warning. Bruises were no doubt blossoming across his aching tailbone.  


Captain Hardrock brandished her glowing sword and brought it up to his chin, tipping his face up to meet her eyes. The face still resembled his mother’s but was exaggerated to fit a garish caricature of a pirate, the yellow-green sclera making her look inhuman. Captain Hardrock leveled a cool glare at him and smirked, “You might feel like the hero, boy, but don’t worry,” she paused to lean in close, her breath smelling like gunpowder, “I’ll get your girl back.”

A chill ran down his back and he fought to keep his eyes on the woman before him, not wanting to chance a glance at the door of his cabin where Marinette was hiding. He hid his fear behind defiant glare, hoping it 

“Leave her alone!” Luka spit back, staring at her defiantly.

In response, Captain Hardrock dug the heel of her boat in his chest and pushed him onto his back, “Now be a good boy for your mummy and sit tight.”

With that, she stomped back up the stairs. Luka managed to right himself using a nearby wall to get into a sitting position again. Not long after she left, the ship shuddered with cannons firing off above and some muffled shouting could be heard.

A few paces away, Alya grinned and clenched her fist, “Yeah!! Ladybug must be on the scene!”

Some of the others visibly relaxed. Nino still looked unsure but gave a strained smile, as if Alya could see it, and Mylene breathed a sigh of relief and sagged against Ivan. The big guy blushed brightly. Rose mirrored the movement with Juleka but she hardly reacted. Luka tried to meet Juleka’s eyes but they were downcast, lost in thought even as Rose felt around for her hand and clasped it in hers. She frowned at Luka as she rubbed slow circles into Juleka’s hand in an attempt to soothe her.

Luka looked past them at the door to his cabin, still closed since Captain Hardrock had slammed it. He wondered if Marinette was still hiding under the bed or if she’d somehow found a way off the boat, brows furrowing as he grew increasingly worried about the girl. It was better to think of her than to dwell on how helpless he was in this moment. They hadn’t had time to discuss what her next steps would be, what with Captain Hardrock slamming on the door. All he knew in that moment was that he had to at least hide her, even if he couldn’t hide with her. It felt like if she was okay, Luka would be fine, too. Like he could take anything that the akuma could throw at him as long as he knew she was safe.

There wasn’t a logical reason for it, really, but the feeling was stronger than anything he’d felt in awhile. She made his heart beat faster, filled him with this feeling that was bigger than himself -- exhilarating, like being at a concert, like being inspired.

And that was it.

Luka’s thoughts screeched to a halt. Marinette inspired him. To be a better person, to be heroic. Before today, he couldn’t imagine sacrificing himself for someone or even had a reason to think of that possibility. Sure, Luka liked to think he was a generally good person but he’d never had to prove it before. 

Luka leaned against the wall and closed his eyes, images of Marinette flitting behind his eyelids. The figure she cut when she stepped in front of him and tried to reason with the akuma, unafraid, wouldn’t leave his mind. 

Marinette had been so timid when they met earlier that day, stuttering hopelessly and blushing such a bright red when he teased her a little. He compared that Marinette with the Marinette from earlier, the Marinette whose shoulders -- slender but defined, and he couldn’t help think the perfect fit for his chin to tuck into -- didn’t so much as tremble before the akuma. Everyone had cowered, and rightly so, but Marinette stood by him and attempted to save his mom from herself. A woman she only met that day but was resolute on saving.

She truly was an amazing girl.

A slam of the door above made everyone go still and jerked Luka out of his thoughts, the tension rising as they waited for the akuma to return. Luka felt sweat beading at his brow as he tensed for a fight. He didn’t exactly have a plan for how he could stand up to an akuma, let alone for how to fight when chained up like this, but he thought of Marinette again and felt a little of her courage rubbing off on him. 

Luka eyed the stairs, being the closest to the opening. Instead of the heavy boots he was expecting, a pair of spotted feet came into view at the top of the stairs. Ladybug jumped the ladder altogether, skipping the steps and landing gracefully at the bottom without so much as a sound. 

Alya gasped, practically with stars in her eyes, “Ladybug!”

The spotted hero glanced around before swinging out her yo-yo. Quicker than their eyes could follow, the cord snapped through the metal links without so much as flicking his skin beneath. Luka rubbed his arms, finding the tenderness under his fingers more irritating than anything. More bruises were probably blooming across his chest like purple flowers, following the shape the chains had taken.

Spotted feet padded over to him first and he looked up into the face of Paris’ superheroine, Ladybug. She was every bit as “miraculous” as people described, with sleek dark hair pulled into two tight pigtails at her neck and big blue eyes. There was something irresistible about those eyes, so full of confidence and righteousness… just like… 

Luka groaned inwardly. Did he have a type? Or was he just going to see Marinette everywhere now?

He took the hand she offered and was helped to his feet. She was much stronger than her slender frame would suggest, as expected of a literal flesh and blood superhero. God, even the height difference was familiar as he looked down at her.

Luka gripped her hand in his, “Ladybug, is Marinette okay?”

When had he become so breathless?

Ladybug just smiled up at him, still holding his hand, “She’s safe! She’s the one who alerted me.”

A wave of relief washed over him. Somehow, Marinette had gotten off the ship, maybe even swam in the Seine, and found Ladybug. Just… wow.

“That girl’s unbelievably brave,” he murmured to himself, awestruck. He missed the bashful look on Ladybug’s face as she rubbed the back of her head as behind the mask, Marinette herself was fighting the blush that threatened to color her cheeks.

Without preamble, Ladybug decided to activate her Lucky Charm. She threw her yo-yo directly above her, yelling “Lucky Charms!” as the yo-yo spun. Pink light filled the room as dozens of what appeared to be hearts but could also have been ladybugs swirled around the yo-yo. Then, with a flash of bright white light, a chain appeared.

Ladybug caught the chain, looking utterly confused. It was the very same as the ones used to bind everyone, only it was red with black spots. Everyone gathered around to look at the supposed lucky charm, absolutely horrified to see a chain.

“What? Another chain?” she asked out loud, more to herself than anyone, “Some pliers would've come in more handy.”

Ladybug slung the chain over her shoulder and gave Luka a reassuring smile, “Don't worry guys, I'll find a way to get you out!”

With that, she ran off to continue her fight and left them standing there looking at each other.

“So, uh, what now? Wanna play cards?” asked Nino, grinning.

Alya rolled her eyes and punched his shoulder lightly, “Oh, shut it. We just have to wait for Ladybug to fix everything.”

“Wow, I can’t believe Marinette was able to warn Ladybug! She even told her where we were!” Mylene said, voice full of admiration, “That’s just so brave of her!”

“That’s my girl!” Alya said proudly, hands on her hips, “Always coming through when it counts!”

“You think she swam the Seine?” Nino asked, something Luka had wondered himself.

Just then, the ship took a sharp turn and they were all thrown to the side. Luka slammed back-first against the wall, rolling to the side in time to catch Juleka and Rose before they could do the same. Alya wasn’t so lucky and cried out as her elbow crashed into the wood. The chaos was followed by a sudden feeling of weightlessness, similar to that when riding a rollercoaster and hitting its peak. Luka swore his heart jumped into his throat when they started to descend, plummeting to earth roughly where water had been before. Again, they were thrown to the side as the ship tilted all the way over.

Next thing they knew, the whole ship disintegrated around them. They found themselves sitting dazed in some park along the Seine. A little ways from them, Captain Hardrock sat in the grass looking just as dazed as they were.

“Oh fuck,” Luka said, looking around at what used to be his home, “Are we homeless now?”

“No more evil-doings for you, little akuma. Time to be de-evilize!” Ladybug cried as she captured the akuma in her compact, “Gotcha! Bye bye, little butterfly.”

A pure white butterfly exited the compact and fluttered away into the blue sky. Meanwhile, the visage of Captain Hardrock fell away like a purple sludge being washed off and there was Anarka, back to normal and sporting a confused look. Chat Noir and Ladybug pounded their fists as part of their usual post-battle ritual.

“What happened?” Anarka asked.

Chat Noir grinned sheepishly and rubbed the back of his neck, “Oh not much, you just had a bout of... Seasickness,” he said. A beeping emitted from their Miraculouses, alerting them of their time limit, “Time to raise the sails my lady!”

As her partner bowed and leapt away, Ladybug threw up the chain from earlier. A swarm of glowing ladybugs whirled around them, restoring everything to their rightful place. The ship returned in its original form and to Luka’s relief, his family wasn’t homeless. They were escorted by the ladybugs back to their original docking point and somehow, found themselves all standing on the top deck. Everything was in its rightful place, mess and all.

Ladybug saluted them from above, “Enjoy your gig! Bug out.”

The superheroine leapt away, swinging across the Seine on her yo-yo. Luka looked around but Marinette was nowhere to be found.

“Why isn’t Marinette here?” he asked aloud without meaning to.

Alya slid up to him with a sly grin on her face, looking very much like a fox in that moment. He found himself stepping back slightly. The bespectacled girl shrugged then, offering an easy explanation for her friend’s absence, “Well, it makes sense. Marinette was nowhere near the fight when Ladybug did the Miraculous Cure, so she’s probably wherever Ladybug left her!”

As if on cue, Marinette ran up the dock. Her face was pink with exertion as if she had run there from far away, only pausing when she boarded. Marinette doubled over, resting her hands on her knees as she caught her breath.

“I, uh, I came here because I thought, Ladybug! She!”

“Marinette! Breathe, first!”

Marinette paused, gulping in as much air as she could to finish her sentence, “Ladybug said you’d be here after the battle was done, so I ran!”

The moment she made eye contact with Luka, flushed face and bangs stuck to her forehead with sweat, a few flyaway hairs sticking out, he burst into the most ferocious fit of giggles in his young life. All eyes were on him but that only made it worse. He found himself doubled over like Marinette, holding his stomach as his sides started aching.

“Hey! What’s so funny, huh?” Marinette’s voice cut through his fit, indignant. He calmed down enough to look at her but the added pout and crossed arms sent right back to giggling. For just a sec, Luka was afraid he’d make her uncomfortable again and tried to explain himself.

“It’s just, it’s just,” Luka gasped, trying to fit some words in between chuckles.

“Just?”

The corner of her lips twitched and that was all Luka needed to see to know she was teasing. Finally, he calmed down and flashed a grin at her, “It’s just, you really didn’t have to run all the way here.”

She flushed again, this time from embarrassment, “I didn’t want to miss the show!”

Something warm fluttered in his heart and before he could stop himself, the words fell out of his mouth, “We would’ve waited for you.”

In his heart, Luka knew he meant I and not we. He would’ve waited for her no matter what.

The smile she gave him then made him all gooey inside and if it weren’t for the skin he was in, Luka would’ve been reduced to a puddle right then and there. Luckily for him, the moment was interrupted by none other than Roger the cop and Luka remained solid.

Anarka approached the plank, only taking one step forward and fixing Roger in place on the dock with a glare. It was more wary than anything, tired even. Being akumatized must’ve taken a lot out of a person, Luka reasoned.

She stood with her arms crossed and hands resting in fists on her elbows, the knuckles white. The tug of her lips into the slightest frown told Luka she was holding back her emotions, for once. Luka was a little proud of her for that, though he knew biting her tongue was probably the most painful thing for his mother to do.

“What are you doing here, Roger?” Anarka asked.

Roger approached the boat, holding his hat and megaphone in his hands. He looked timid for a man his size and had a sheepish smile on his face, “I just wanted to apologize for my behavior earlier. I didn’t realize it would make you…” Roger paused to collect himself, releasing a sigh, “I’ve been there, myself. It’s uh, not great.”

Anarka softened, dropping her arms, “Well, apology accepted.”

She moved to retreat to the safety of the bridge but turned back to Roger, who lingered near the boarding plank. With a deep sigh, Anarka returned to face him.

“So, uh, I guess if you’d still like to go on with the concert… I’d be happy to help you find a proper volume,” Roger brandished the noise meter in his hand like a peace offering, his smile turning hopeful. 

Anarka scowled at the device like it had personally offended her, “Proper volume? A proper volume?”

Luka placed a hand on her shoulder before she could say more, smiling at her gently, “I think it’s a good idea, mom. My equipment’s right where we left it and everything and I’m ready for sound check.”

To her unconvinced face, he added, “Please? I really want to do the gig.”

Without meaning to, Luka glanced at Marinette. She looked on the exchange with hope brightening her big, blue eyes and her dainty hands clasped over her heart. Marinette flashed him a small smile and of course, Anarka saw the whole thing.  


“Alright,” she said, looking between the two, “Let’s do it.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I really wanted Roger to apologize and like, relate to her about being akumatized. I imagine that the best thing would be for former victims of akumatization to get together, share their stories, and support each other to avoid being taken over again.
> 
> Anyway, Luka being inspired by Marinette is my permanent mood.


	8. Welcome to the band

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We finally move past the Captain Hardrock episode and Adrien is a perfectly sweet boy.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> surprise, I'm back in action

Marinette glanced at Luka every few seconds but couldn’t look for long before her cheeks heated up and she found some small detail of the boat to be absorbed in. It was just too much for her when the admiration glittering in his blue eyes, for her, was so fresh in her mind. She looked up again to find Luka looking right at her, a teasing smile on his face that told her he knew she’d been looking.

Luka held her gaze for a moment, winking before he turned his attention back to Roger. He strummed a few chords as Roger measured the decibels. Everyone watched, holding their breath for the verdict. He frowned at the device in his hand as he straightened himself.

“It's still a bit loud by my standards and a couple decibels over the legal limit…” Roger began, glancing around the boat to take in the hopeful looks on everyone’s faces, “But I'll let it slide on this occasion. After all, it's the music festival!”

The boat erupted into cheers and Alya leaped into Nino’s arms with enough force to send them both spinning around. Marinette jumped up and down, unable to contain the sudden burst of energy. 

”Thanks, Roger,” Anarka said, a small smile on her face. She walked Roger back to the plank, her earlier hostility toward him extinguished.

Roger tipped his hat to her and smiled back, “Have a good gig!” 

Marinette felt eyes on her and looked over her shoulder to find Luka smiling at her again. He leaned against the railing, arms crossed over his chest. There was a fondness in his eyes that she recognized even from the other side of the boat. For a moment, Marinette felt like they were the only ones there and found herself taking a step in his direction despite the fluttering in her chest. 

A loud gasp from Nino, followed by a loud commotion by the plank, drew Marinette’s attention to the fact that Adrien Agreste was boarding the boat.

“Adrien?” Marinette felt herself freeze up, her hand rising up as if to shield her heart from view where it threatened to beat out of her chest. She had made peace with the fact that she wasn’t going to see him today but it seemed that there had still been some hope in her, yet.

“Hey everyone!” Adrien smiled, a gentle breeze brushing his golden hair into his face and rustling his crisp white shirt. He beamed at his classmates, looking every bit like the sun as he did. Ever polite, Adrien paused to greet Anarka before walking toward them… toward her.  
Marinette realized with horror where he was walking and reached out uselessly, too far to really do anything but yell a warning.

“Watch where you’re walking, the!” The words caught in her throat as he turned to look at her, confused, seconds before tripping over a stray cord. Marinette flinched away, hearing the thud and empathizing greatly. 

She caught sight of Luka crossing the deck in a few quick strides, long legs carrying him to Adrien’s side. Nino was already there, helping the blond sit up. He looked a little dazed, shaking his head gently.

“Adrien! Are you okay buddy?”

“Nah, it’s all good! I just…” Adrien paused, glancing curiously at a case by his face. He opened the case and his eyes lit up, mouth falling open at the sight of a glossy keyboard. It looked almost new as if it had barely been used, “Woah! An original ZX20.4! I love the sound of this instrument.” 

Anarka grinned, having always had a soft spot for kids who knew their stuff, “Aww, that old thing? No one knows how to play it.”

Adrien looked up from stroking the keyboard reverently, “I know how to play it!”

“Great!” Luka stepped forward with a hand outstretched, black nails as glossy as the keyboard. He hoisted Adrien to his feet easily and didn’t let go even when the shorter boy had regained his balance, “Welcome to the band, Adrien!”

Adrien beamed at the taller boy, “Thanks! Uhh…”

“Luka.”

“Thanks, Luka.”

Their hands remained grasped together, firmer now as Adrien tightened his hold. Marinette watched as they stared at each other longer than necessary, looking between the two boys like she couldn’t fully comprehend the scene before her. Her long-time crush, basically holding hands with her… new crush? Friend? 

Marinette wanted to sink to the floor and pull her pigtails in frustration, especially when Alya sidled up to her.

“Is the compass going crazy?”

Marinette yelped and jumped back, arms flailing wildly as she tried to stutter out a denial. Anarka and Alya watched her knowingly. 

The gray-haired woman put her hands on her hips, “You know matey, sometimes disorder can be a good thing, if this keyboard hadn't been lying around, we wouldn't have gained us a keyboard player.” At that, Anarka gestured at the stage area where Adrien was setting up eagerly with Luka at his side.

Marinette watched the rest of the preparation in a haze. She wanted to talk to Tikki and maybe get some advice about her feelings going haywire but it would be hours before she could do that. At some point, Marinette found herself sitting on the of the benches and looking out at the Seine. She should’ve been hanging out with her friends, she knew that, but felt a little left-out. Most of them were absorbed in setting up and sound-checking. Marinette didn’t know a thing about music and knowing herself all too well, she wanted to avoid getting in the way or tripping over something.

Marinette glanced back at Alya and Nino, heads bent toward each other as they carried a low conversation. The smile on Alya’s face was warm and gentle. They would make room for her if she wanted them to but Marinette didn’t have it in her to intrude. She crossed her arms on the wood and laid her head down, not wanting to third-wheel.

“Everything okay, Marinette?”

She nearly jumped out of her skin, looking up to find Adrien smiling sheepishly at her. Marinette straightened to face him, “Adrien! You’re more than okay, I mean I’m!” she paused to take a deep breath, steadying herself, “I’m okay! What’s up?”

The wood groaned as Adrien took a seat beside her, hands resting on his lap, “You just looked a little blue, is all.”

“Oh…” Marinette smiled warmly, knowing for a fact her cheeks were tinged pink again, “Thanks for checking on me, Adrien, and thank you for coming today!”

It was Adrien’s turned to blush. He rubbed the back of his neck shyly, eyes shifting to look at his classmates, “No, thank you guys for inviting me. I mean, I know I’m not around a lot and can’t always hang out like I want to but… thanks, for thinking of me. I’m glad it worked out this time.”

“Me, too.”

They settled into a silence that wasn’t altogether uncomfortable, but Adrien still searched for a way to keep the conversation going. Conversations with Marinette were hard to come by, usually tapering off into awkward silence or being interrupted by someone else, usually Chloe. This was his chance to strengthen their friendship, which was tentative at best. Adrien looked around the boat until his eyes fell on Luka, wrapping electric tape around a damaged cord before handing it to Juleka to plug in.

“So, Luka’s pretty cool.”

Marinette looked a little surprised but that expression melted into one of fondness quickly. “Yeah, he is.”

“I heard he likes Jagged Stone, too! We were talking about his music earlier.”

“Yeah! Jagged is one of his favorites. He even gave me a Jagged Stone guitar pick.” Marinette said, producing the little purple pick from her breast pocket. 

Adrien leaned in closer than necessary to look at it, admiring the holographic foil design that set the logo apart from the matte purple background. He glanced up at Marinette, “That’s so cool! Do you play guitar?”

She waved her hands quickly in front of herself, dismissing the idea and very nearly losing grip on the pick. Before Marinette could drop it in the Seine, she tucked the pick back into its pocket, “No, no. I’m not that cool. I mean, I’ve just never been musically gifted. A little singing in the shower maybe? But we all sound good in the shower, right?”

Adrien chuckled at that last part. Marinette was babbling but Adrien didn’t seem to mind. “Did you tell him you designed Jagged’s last album cover?”

“Uh, no, I-I didn’t.”

“You did what?”

When Marinette looked up at Luka, she didn’t expect there to be literal stars in his eyes. Those bright blue eyes glittered as he stared at her in awe. He whipped out his phone, opening Spotify to find that he had been listening to that exact album earlier that day, and all but shove the phone in Marinette’s face. Distantly, Luka was embarrassed at himself for fanboy-ing so hard in front of her but he couldn’t bring himself to care right then.

“This cover? You designed it?”

Marinette nodded, unable to trust her voice. Luckily for her, Adrien threw himself wholeheartedly into telling Luka all about the time she designed an album cover for Jagged.

“Not just that! In one of his interviews, Jagged said he wanted Marinette to do his album cover is that of the sunglasses she made for him before! You know, those Eiffel Tower ones he always wears?” Adrien gushed, “Isn’t that just amazing?!”  
“Hell yeah, it is. I said it before but you really are amazing, Marinette,” Luka grinned, his voice softening.

“It, uh, it was nothing.” Marinette said weakly. She was sure she was going to melt with the way they were both looking at her, wearing matching expressions of admiration. Any longer under their gazes and Marinette would be reduced to nothing. She shifted her glance beyond Luka to see that the band members had all set up by now and pointed in their direction, “Looks like it’s showtime!”

Marinette followed the boys to the stage, stopping just short of the instruments to take her seat by the front. Rose started off the first song, belting out lyrics about loving unicorns. For such a tiny girl, her voice was powerful. That might’ve surprised Marinette if she hadn’t heard Rose sing before tonight. 

Adrien looked like he was having fun if his smile was anything to go by. She was happy to see him in such a joyful state, tossing his head around with more energy than she usually saw in him, golden hair flying every which way. Sweat formed at his brow and his bangs stuck to the tan skin beneath, framing his cheekbones. Beside him, Luka was in a similar state. He paused between songs to push his blue-tipped bangs out of his face, shooting Marinette a look that made her insides feel funny.

They were both… beautiful, she thought.

It rose up in her thoughts unbidden and oh boy, was she in trouble. After the show, Alya dragged everyone into a series of group selfies with Marinette squished between Luka and Adrien. This was no doubt intentional but Marinette couldn’t complain when the selfies appeared in her messages. 

That night, Tikki had to withstand at least half an hour of Marinette screaming into her pillow about her compass being broken.

**Author's Note:**

> So the end game is unclear for me right now. I want to write a chapter right after the Captain Hardrock episode, add some friendship between Luka and Adrien because I think they'd make great friends! And maybe figure out how Luka fits into the love square. 
> 
> Also, I low-key want to see a Jagged Stone group chat with Luka, Adrien, and Marinette gushing over their fave. Not sure if that'll be here or something separate.


End file.
